


Between the Lines

by angellwings



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Banter, Drama, Dramedy, F/M, Friendship, Romance, Season/Series 06, Season/Series 07, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-04
Updated: 2016-01-09
Packaged: 2018-03-16 07:54:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3480323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angellwings/pseuds/angellwings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series that follows Josh and Donna starting with the DNC to the end of the series. Dedicated to filling in the holes and rebuilding their relationship by writing about what could have taken place off screen. Ongoing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Winners and Losers

**Author's Note:**

> So I started this nearly a year ago. Got to about 8000 words and 25 pages before I got distracted by something else and forgot all about it. I found it on my laptop the other day and since I've just started rewatching The West Wing (for the fourth time) I thought I would finally post and finish it. Enjoy!

As the celebration on the stage continued, Donna found she wasn’t actually that upset. She knew Santos was a strong candidate. She’d never dismissed the possibility of him obtaining the nomination. Well, maybe not never. But after he and Josh got their act together in New Hampshire she _knew_ they’d be a viable threat. The only thing she doubted was the Congressman’s commitment. After tonight, though, she was convinced.

Matt Santos was the guy.

It would have been more advantageous for him to concede tonight. He would have had President Bartlet, Leo McGarry, and the whole of the Democratic Party on his side in 4 to 8 years. He would have the nomination after Russell was through. But instead he risks alienating himself and losing the nomination because he honestly believed he was the best man for the job. _That_ spoke to her. Witnessing his leadership on the Stem Cell vote was a start but she’d never objected to the Santos Campaign’s politics anyway. Josh wouldn’t have gone all out for Santos if his policies weren’t good for the party. She knew that from the very beginning.

The door opened and she turned to see who came in. The Vice President had left long ago so there’s no way it would be him. He’d left without so much as a thank you for the hard work.

The receding hairline caught her attention before anything else and her breath caught in her throat. Great, she thought, here comes Josh to gloat. She could just hear his ‘keg of glory’ speech now. Her eyes never left him as he walked toward her and Will. He set two beers down on the table in front of her. He opened one and handed it to Will and then another handed it to her before he sat down with the third one himself.

She watched him and waited for the gloating. But instead he turned toward her and smiled softly.

“You did good, Donna,” He said as he clinked his beer against hers. “Too good, honestly.”

She grinned at him and chuckled dryly. “Your guy was better. It doesn’t seem to matter how good I was or wasn’t.” She paused and wondered what to say next. She wasn’t used to this from Josh. Not lately, anyway. “You know, I was in the VP’s office the night Congressman Santos led the plan for the Stem Cell vote.”

Josh turned to her in surprise. “You were?”

“Fell asleep doing media research and the Congressman basically sat on top of me.”

Josh chuckled. “He never told me that.”

“Anyway, I stayed the whole night. Well, most of the night. He debated the issue with every congressman and woman in the room. He never dismissed anyone. He listened and answered questions.” She smiled proudly at Josh. “You picked the real deal, Josh. You saw it when no one else did. You’ll do great in the general.”

“Thank you,” He said sincerely as he met her eyes.

“Well,” Will said as he stood up and looked between the two of them. “Thanks for the beer, Josh. But I think I better go find the Vice President and beg him to let me keep my job. Somebody shoot me.”

“Tell me where and I’ll oblige,” Josh said with a smirk.

“Let me think about it and I’ll get back to you,” Will said as he left the room.

Donna blinked at the label on her beer. Oh God, she didn’t have a job. There was no job for her to go to tomorrow. She supposed the VP would try to find something for her but she was hired specifically for the campaign and the campaign…the campaign was over.

Josh must have noticed her demeanor had changed because he cleared his throat and nudged her arm. “What happened to you complimenting me on my guy? I liked that. My ego was flattered.”

His ego was flattered? Did he not get what just happened here? Will just not so gently reminded her that she may not have a job tomorrow and he was wanting her to flatter his ego?

“Wow, really?” She asked him.

“What?” He asked cluelessly.

“Did you not—were you not in the room just now?”

“I believe I’m sitting right here.”

“So that conversation about Will not having a job…you didn’t maybe also correlate that to my situation?” She asked him archly.

He looked genuinely apologetic. “Donna, I didn’t—“

“We were having a nice moment, I thought,” She said with a sigh.

“We were! We still could be if you hadn’t done an about face on me. What just happened here?” He asked in confusion.

“After a conversation about Will, my boss by the way, possibly not having a job you felt it was appropriate to ask me to flatter you, did you?” Donna asked flippantly. “You didn’t think that, maybe, my boss not having a job meant I probably won’t have a job?”

“Who’s fault is that?” Josh asked with a glare. “You left me, remember? If you’d stayed maybe you’d have a position with the Santos campaign and you wouldn’t have risked unemployment.”

“No, just general discontent with my career and a suffocating feeling of being stuck in the muck which is so much better than unemployment,” Donna said sarcastically.

“You could have just told me that you weren’t—“

“I tried, Josh! Or do you not remember cancelling and postponing on me so many times I lost count? I kept telling you we needed to talk but you never seemed to hear me and then when I finally quit…you didn’t even believe me. Did you?” She asked as she stood up and stared down at him angrily. He stuttered for a moment before Donna repeated herself. “Did you?”

“No!” He yelled as he stood up with her. “No, I didn’t! Because you’re Donna and I’m Josh and we’re a team. We always have been! Even if you left me once for an idiot wannabe doctor.”

“You just had to bring that up, didn’t you? You couldn’t resist,” Donna said through a tense jaw. “I couldn’t be ‘Donna, Josh’s Assistant’ forever. You had to know that somewhere in the back of your mind.”

“So you went and slept with the enemy,” He spat at her vindictively. “Typical.”

“What?” She asked in a quiet voice. He closed his eyes and winced. She looked like he’d just slapped her across the face. To be honest, he might as well have. He just crossed a major line. “What the hell is that supposed to mean, Josh?”

“Shit, Donna, I’m sorry,” He said urgently. “I didn’t—I shouldn’t have—“

“Forget it. It’s nice to know how you really feel. I wish I’d have known it years ago. I would’ve been able to leave you so much sooner if I did,” She sneered as she swallowed thickly.

He thought he heard a sniffle too but before he could call her back or respond she was out the door. He kicked the chair she’d left behind and it crashed into the table next to it. The people on the other end of the room jumped and turned to look at him curiously. “How ya doin?” He asked them with a huff. He grabbed his jacket and his beer and bolted after her. What the hell was wrong with him? Where was his brain to mouth filter when he needed it?

He found her waiting for a car outside the venue and immediately blocked her view of the incoming taxis.

“I think we’re done, Josh,” Donna said with a glare.

“No, we’re not. We’re not done,” He told her. “I’m a jackass, okay? I crossed the line back there and I’m sorry. But I don’t understand what happened. We were having a pretty nice conversation until you flipped a switch and turned all gloomy and depressing on me. I actually remembered not to gloat. Did you notice that?” He said as he grinned hesitantly at her.

She rewarded him with a small smile. “Yes, you managed not to ask for the finest bagels in all the land. I noticed.”

“And muffins. Don’t forget the muffins.”

“I would never forget the muffins,” Donna said with a chuckle. “Josh, do you really think I took a job with the Russell campaign to hurt you? Do you think so little of me that I would—“

“No,” He answered immediately. “I don’t. I don’t, Donna.”

“Good, because I wouldn’t. _I wouldn’t_.”

“I know,” He assured her. “And don’t worry about a job. You’re brilliant, Donna. You’ll have a job before the week is over. I’d bet on it.”

She smirked at him. “Yeah? How much?”

“The finest muffins and bagels in all the land,” he said with a grin.

She chuckled and stuck out her hand to shake. “Deal.”

He shook her hand as the car pulled up behind him.

“I have to go,” She told him. “You should go back inside. Celebrate with your staff. You deserve it.”

“Okay, you sure you’re okay?” He asked worriedly as he opened the car door for her.

“No, but I will be,” She told him as she stepped inside the taxi. “Don’t worry about me. Unlike some people, I always have a plan.”

He chuckled and smirked at her. “I plan things.”

“No, you don’t. Not unless you need votes for something.”

“That _might_ be true,” he admitted.

She chuckled. “The first step is admitting you have a problem, Joshua.”

“Good night, Donnatella,” He said as he closed the door.  She rolled down her window and smiled sadly at him.

“Good night, Josh,” she said before she gave the address to the driver and pulled away from the curb. Away from him. He only wished he knew for how long.

 


	2. Plan B

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter deals with the events from season 7 episodes "The Ticket" through "The Al Smith Dinner" and fills in some moments we didn't see. Also, there are references to a conversation CJ and Donna had in the season 5 episode "No Exit."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter glosses over a big chunk of season 7. I forgot that she wasn't around regularly again until like episode 5. Anyway, hope you guys like it!  
> Happy reading!  
> angellwings

Donna fled the Santos Campaign Headquarters quicker than she thought possible. What the hell had she been thinking? She should have known better than to go to Josh for a job. Just because they’d had one decent conversation after the DNC did not mean he’d truly forgiven her. Had she really expected him to? She knew Josh and she knew he didn’t take being abandoned well. She knew that before she left.

She knew if she left him a second time he wouldn’t be so eager to welcome her back.

But she never expected him to…

She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and dialed a familiar number.

“CJ Cregg’s office.”

“Hey Margaret, it’s Donna. Is she free?”

“She’s locked herself in her office for lunch. No one’s allowed inside.”

“Ask her if I can join her. Tell her I’ve decided Josh is an ass and I’m not changing my mind this time.”

“Okay, but do I have to say those exact words or—“

“Margaret, please?”

“Alright, one moment…”

She hailed a cab while Margaret put her on hold and gave the driver the address of a diner not far from The West Wing. As the car pulled away Margaret came back on the line.

“She said come right over and the two of you could commiserate together.”

“Tell her I’m on my way. I’m gonna stop and get some take out and then I’ll be over,” Donna said with a grin.

“I’ll let her know and set up a pass for you with Secret Service.”

“Thanks, Margaret.”

“We assistants have to stick together.”

Donna chuckled. “Yes, we do.”

She arrived at the West Wing twenty minutes later and found Margaret waiting to escort her to CJ’s office. They exchanged a quick hug.

“You look great!” Donna told her.

“Thanks, you too. Your hair is…longer.”

Donna gave Margaret an odd look but chuckled and nodded. “Thanks.”

“CJ’s waiting on you,” Margaret said as she opened the office door for her.

She walked in and CJ was immediately up and out of her office chair.

“I am so happy to see you! How are you? And what did Josh do this time?” CJ asked as she hugged her.

“I’m okay. And we’ll get into that in a minute. How are you? How does it feel to be in the room? And are you absolutely loving it?”

“It’s a double edged sword,” CJ said with a sigh. “It’s challenging and frustrating and rewarding but if you think I have anytime for a personal life you are sorely mistaken.  It’s a funny thing, Donna, when you’re in the prime of your career but completely stuck every where else.”

“At least you’ve still got a career,” Donna said with a sigh.

“You could have something around here anytime you want, you know. We could always use White House staffers who know the drill. Plus, I know the VP’s office would love to have you back,” CJ told her.

“All the offers I’ve gotten have been for executive assistant positions and…I’d like to think I’ve outgrown that, you know?” Donna said with a sigh.

“I’m guessing the interview with the Santos Campaign didn’t go very well?” CJ asked knowingly.

“I knew it would be awkward, CJ. I knew that,” Donna told her. “But that…that was mortifying. He threw my quotes from the Russell Campaign in my face. He used the fact that I was damn good at my job against me. He said…he said I’d be a liability to the campaign and that he couldn’t risk it. Oh and then after that he threw in a line about how much he missed me as if that would make it all better. Clearly he doesn’t miss me _that_ much.”

CJ’s brow furrowed. “He said your Russell quotes would be a liability?”

“Yes, he did.”

“Well, it’s a possibility, sure, but if he used that rule then he’d lose half the Democratic talent. There will be no one left to hire. Plus, everyone in this town knows how the game is played. They wouldn’t raise a fuss,” CJ said thoughtfully.

Donna sighed. “That’s what I’ve been thinking.” She pulled out her salad and began to pick at it as she thought. “So that just leaves one reason.”

“Donna.”

“He hates me. He absolutely hates me. I abandoned him and he hates me.”

“He doesn’t hate you. Trust me on this. But I do think…I do think he doesn’t trust you,” CJ said honestly. “Not like he used to anyway. You worked for the other guy. It’s Primary warfare.”

“I want to work in this election. I’m good at campaigning. I like campaigning. I was hoping Josh could look past our, you know, history and see that I’m really good at this, but—I guess that’s not enough. I should have known it wouldn’t be enough,” Donna said with a sigh. “So, I guess it’s time for plan B.”

“Plan B?” CJ asked with a furrowed brow.

“Wisconsin.”

“What?” CJ asked in shock. “You can’t leave.”

“There’s a field office in Wisconsin, maybe I can get in down there. My family’s there and it’s far away from Josh, just like he wants. Just like you told me I should be,” Donna said with a sad smile.

“I didn’t mean for you to leave DC!” CJ exclaimed. “To be honest I didn’t mean it at all.”

“CJ.”

“Okay, I meant most of it. But I shouldn’t have said it the way I did,” she said apologetically.

“I’m glad you did,” Donna told her. “You gave me a lot to think about. You were the only person who was even remotely honest about my relationship, whatever that was, with Josh.”

“Don’t leave,” CJ said pleadingly. “I don’t have many friends here and I’d like to keep the few that I have.”

Donna smiled at her. “I’ll still be your friend, CJ. I’ll just be your friend Donna who lives in Wisconsin.” She bit her bottom lip and then feigned an excited look. “Maybe I’ll go back to school. Finish my degree. I would only need to do four more semesters.”

CJ sighed in resignation. “You’ll call at least once a week?”

She smiled sadly at her and nodded. “Absolutely.”

“Do you plan on saying goodbye to Josh?” CJ asked hesitantly.

“I don’t think he’d care if I did.”

“You said he told you he missed you, right?” CJ asked in a parental tone.

“I believe his exact words were, ‘if you don’t think I miss you everyday’ and then he trailed off and didn’t finish his sentence.”

“He’d care. You know, Josh. You know how hard that must have been for him. To say that and turn you down at the same time. He doesn’t leave people behind,” CJ reminded her.

“Well, it seems like I’m the exception,” She said with an emotional gulp. “I think it’s better if I just…leave it alone. He won’t notice I’m gone." 

CJ didn’t dispute her last sentence and that’s when Donna knew it was true.

He wouldn’t notice she was gone.

* * *

 

He’d tried to call her afterward. Several weeks afterward, but still he tried. She didn’t answer. Didn’t call him back. She was just…gone.

Did she not miss him as much as he missed her? He’d left her an opening to say so and she’d given him nothing. Not a word. Did all their years together mean so little that she’d turn her back on him for a simple thing like refusing to hire her?

Could she really not understand his logic? He couldn’t hire her. There was too much of a risk of her words coming back to hurt them. He didn’t need to waste time spinning it. Every second they had to talk about their message was a blessing. He couldn’t use them defending hiring _her._

At least that’s what he told himself. He wasn’t sure that was the case. She wasn’t hopelessly devoted Donna anymore. Not that he ever really thought of her that way, but she was his constant ally. His friend when no one else cared. Yet she’d left him. She’d left him and worked for the enemy. He didn’t know if he could trust her the way he used to. If they could ever have back what they lost.

He wanted to know what she thought. If she hated him for turning her down. If she thought they would ever get it all back. If they _could_ get it all back. There was one problem. He didn’t know where to find her. He’d already gone by her apartment building. She wasn’t there. He assumed she’d moved but he couldn’t find her to ask what neighborhood she’d moved to.

He could only think of one person who might know and he was on hold with her now.

“Josh, I don’t have time for campaign stuff right now. There’s a crisis that I have to—“

“When’s the last time you talked to Donna?” He asked.

“Last week. Why?” She asked hesitantly.

“She’s not answering my calls.”

“I wonder why that could be, Wonder Boy?”

“She told you?” He asked as guilt crept into his voice.

“Yes, and she told me the reason. It’s not completely illogical, but I think anyone who made an issue of it would have been laughed out of every news office in the country,” CJ said. “I don’t think you were lying about your reason, Josh, but I think you used it as cover for the real issue. And I think you know it too.”

“I need to talk to her. Do you know where she is?”

CJ paused awkwardly but said nothing.

“You do, don’t you? Where is she?”

“Josh, I really don’t think—“

“CJ, I’m not going to do anything I just need to talk to her. Please, I won’t tell her I got it from you, Just tell me what neighborhood she moved to and I’ll work it from ther—“

“She left DC,” CJ said suddenly.

He blinked and gulped and hoped he’d heard her wrong. “What?”

“She left DC, Joshua.”

“She…she left? Without saying goodbye?”

“I think she thought it would be awkward, you know, since the two of you are…well whatever the hell you are.”

He sighed. “She left. She really left.”

“Yeah, she did,” CJ said sadly.

“Okay, thanks,” He said slowly. “Did you try and stop her at all or—“

“I tried my hardest, really I did. It just wasn’t going to happen.”

Someone called his name from the other side of the room and Josh groaned. “I have to go. I think we just got new polling numbers in.”

“I’m sorry, Josh. Maybe it was just time.”

“Time for what?” He asked as the noise grew louder.

“Time for both of you to move on.”

He really didn’t want to think about that. Or even the idea of that. Thankfully Lou saved him from continuing the conversation.

“Hey, Pretty Boy! Get the hell over here before I drag you off the phone by your receding hairline!”

CJ snorted with laughter. “I’m guessing you have to go.”

“That would be a definite yes." 

“Good luck with Lou. I know you two haven’t always played nice.”

“Thanks. I think I’m going to need it,” Josh told her. “I’ll be in touch.”

“I expect no less.”

* * *

 

She’d been under his nose the whole damn time. He’d been driving himself crazy thinking he’d never see her again and the whole time Lou had her working Midwest Press in a field office. Not only that, but Donna knew he didn’t want her working for the campaign and she applied for a job through Lou anyway. And on top of everything else she left without saying goodbye. He knew the interview was awkward but up until that point he thought things had been looking up for them. If she thought she could leave and not say goodbye and he wouldn’t take offense then she was extremely mistaken. _Extremely mistaken_.

Lou suddenly appeared in the hallway and Josh closed the folder he was pretending to look at to catch up with her.

“Hey, did you talk to Joey Lucas? She's got another version of our flip-flop spot without the monster-chiller theater music.”

Lou began pushing him somewhere and for some reason Josh never thought about stopping her. “Yeah, come with me.”

“Where are we going?"

“Bedroom-office-staffroom.”

“Okay, I don't want to seem ungracious. We've all been under a lot of pressure. It's just that..."

And then he’s in a room with Donna. She’s sitting on the foot of a bed and looks completely shocked to see him. There was only one question bouncing around in his head.

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

_How the hell could she leave DC without saying goodbye?_

Before he knew it he was slamming her with questions. Ridiculous questions that he knew the answer to or questions he knew would piss her off. But because she’s Donna she’s firing right back and he can’t seem to get out the one question he wants an answer to most. Not only that, but much like her dig about Will Bailey being her teacher back at the DNC her words are stinging. More than he’d care to admit. He looked back on the two of them fondly. A lot of times it felt like it was him and Donna against the world and they won more often than they lost. He missed that. He missed them. But according to her it was grunt work. Was she miserable the whole time and he just didn’t see it?

Could their entire history be a lie?

These were the questions he should be asking her. This was the conversation they needed to have. But for some reason all he could do was shout passive aggressive questions and snipe back at her answers. 

Why couldn’t he just say what he really wanted to say? What the hell was the matter with him? Did there need to be even more distance in between them?


	3. Conversations on a Plane

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josh does something stupid. What else is new?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first one not built around an episode so I hope you guys enjoy it! I had fun with it!  
> Happy Reading!

“Hey.”

“Josh.”

“Sam.”

There was silence on the line until Sam spoke up.

“Do you need something, Josh?”

Josh paced with the airplane phone tucked between his shoulder and his ear. “I think I did something stupid.”

“And this is a surprise to you?”

“I think I just asked the Congressman to fire Donna.”

The silence stretched out as Josh continued to pace and he waited for what he knew was coming.

“You _what_?”

“I didn’t mean to! We were talking and I must have seemed distracted because he asked me about it and I said I didn’t think I could work with her or Lou if I thought they were going to go behind my back to—“

“Behind your back? Josh, do you even know Donna?”

“That’s the problem!” He said as he nearly tripped over the phone chord. “I’m not sure I _know_ this Donna. This Donna who betrays me for Russell—“

“She didn’t betray you.”

“Who calls the years we spent together servitude—“

“I’m sure she didn’t mean—“

“Who leaves DC without saying goodbye.”

“Josh—“

“And who goes to dinner with that diary peeping bastard Cliff Calley!”

“JOSH!” Sam yelled in an attempt to get Josh’s attention. Josh stopped long enough to spin a circle and untangle himself from the phone chord as Sam continued. “Please tell me you didn’t try to get Donna fired because she went to dinner with some guy.”

“A republican! A republican guy who has my office and threatened her with perjury to get ahold of her diary. He’s not just some guy!”

“Tell me you didn’t,” Sam said with a frustrated sigh.

Josh gulped and ran a hand through his hair. “I honestly don’t know.”

“I don’t think Donna is doing any of these things with the intention of hurting you. Besides, have you ever thought about how much you might be, however accidentally, hurting _her_? You alienated her when she quit—“

“She did that to herself! She’s the one who—“

“Josh, stop talking and listen.”

He knew that tone. That was Sam’s you’re-being-an-idiot tone.

“You alienated her after you’d made this grand gesture of rushing to her side, you repeatedly postponed a lunch that you knew was important to her, you avoided her for half a year, you refused to hire her and used her resume against her like a weapon of mass destruction, and then you embarrassed her in front of the campaign staff with a farcical interview of non-importance, and now you’re trying to get her fired.”

“Not trying. It just…happened.”

“Yeah, that makes it better,” Sam said dryly.

“I’ve been a bit of a jackass haven’t I?”

“I’d have gone with dick but jackass works, I guess.”

“I didn’t ask him to fire her. I just think he probably took that as my meaning,” Josh said in a guilty tone. 

“Well, maybe you’re wrong. Maybe he didn’t—“

“Sam, he asked to speak to her alone.”

Sam sighed tiredly. “This is a mess. Why can’t you just _talk_ to her? Why have you _never_ been able to talk to her or tell her how you feel? You wouldn’t be in this mess if you just had an _honest_ conversation.”

He said nothing and stared at the door to the Congressman’s cabin on the plane. He really hadn’t intended on _this_ to happen. Really, he just wanted Santos to lecture Lou. For going behind his back. He hated to admit it, but Donna was a brilliant addition to the campaign staff. She made dealing with Lou much easier. Now all he could do was stare at the door and wait for her to come out.

“For a brilliant political mind,” he heard Sam say over the phone. “You’re a real idiot sometimes.”

* * *

 

“Congressman,” Donna said nervously. “If Josh really has an issue with working with me then I’ll leave. I can go back to the Wisconsin Field Office…or something.” She sighed sadly and stared at the floor as she waited for what she knew was coming. Josh made it clear he didn’t want her here. She wasn’t at all surprised.

“Why did Josh say he didn’t want to hire you initially?” Matt Santos asked as he motioned for Donna to sit down across from him.

“Well, next to the Vice President himself I was the most visible face of the Russell Primary campaign. He’s afraid my Russell quotes might come back to haunt us,” Donna told him honestly.

Matt nodded. “I see, and what do you think of that reasoning?”

“I think half the party worked for Russell and everyone in this business knows how the game works. I don’t think it will be as much of a scandal as he thinks and clearly neither does Lou.”

“I spoke with Lou. She’s adamant that we need you. She also told me CJ Cregg recommended you to her in the first place. So it doesn’t seem to be a concern for The White House either,” Santos told her kindly.

“It’s not that I don’t think Josh has a reason to be concerned. He’s right. The campaign can’t afford to go off message. I just don’t think we’d be forced to,” Donna said with a sigh. Before she paused to think about something he said. “Wait. CJ recommended me?”

Matt smiled at her awed expression and nodded. “She seems to think you have an instinct for this.”

“She does?” Donna asked with a slow smile. “That’s…that’s…wow.”

“I like you, Donna. I think you’re talented and capable and I think you have a lot to contribute to this campaign,” The Congressman said honestly. “I also think anyone willing to defy her boss to help the enemy with a stem cell vote has a lot of compassion and we need compassion. We need you.”

“So, you’re not reassigning me or firing me?” She asked hopefully.

“Depends on your answer to my next question.”

“And that question is?” Donna asked.

“Why are you here?” Matt Santos asked plainly.

“Because you’re the real deal,” Donna stated. “I never doubted your viability as a candidate or your politics or how much you cared about this nation. My only concerns, all due respect, were about your commitment. I was working for Josh when—“

“His assistant!” Matt suddenly exclaimed in recognition. “I knew we’d met prior to the Primaries. You were his assistant that day I came to his office for that first meeting.”

“Yes, sir, I was. He was trying to convince you to run again. You were going to quit and go back to Houston,” Donna said pointedly.

“I see,” he said with a nod. “You were afraid that I’d quit when the race got tough.”

“I was concerned that you were only in it to raise awareness of your causes and that once you’d done that you’d bow out and go back to Texas,” Donna said honestly. “You’re charismatic and a natural leader, but if you don’t _really_ want it then there’s no way to win.”

“When did you believe I wanted it?” He asked curiously.

“The DNC. It would have been the most advantageous to quit then. The party and The Bartlet Administration would have been indebted to you and you would have been a shoe in for the nomination after Russell had run his course,” she said logically. “But you didn’t. You defied the President, Leo McGarry, and your whole party because you honestly thought you were the best man for the job. It was courageous and it convinced me that _you_ were _the guy_.”

“The guy?”

“The next leader of the Democratic Party, sir.”

“So you’re not just here to be a part of a winning campaign?”

“Oh, I want to win,” she said with a smirk before she continued. “But I can tell you if Baker or Hoynes had won I wouldn’t be anywhere _near_ their campaigns. I’d rather be back in Wisconsin listening to my mother lecture me about my biological clock than work for Baker or Hoynes.”

The Congressman laughed and smiled brightly at her. “That’s all I needed to know.” His expression turned serious after a moment. “But you need to work out whatever is going on with Josh. I can’t have _anyone_ too distracted to work. Not you, not Lou, and not Josh. Clear?”

“Yes, sir,” Donna said with a nod.

“In fact,” Matt said with a grin. “I think I have an idea. I just need you to do one thing for me.”

“What’s that, sir?”

“Look disappointed and don’t tell Josh I’ve decided to keep you on,” he told her.

Donna gave him a confused look but nodded. “I can do that.”

“Good,” Matt told her with a smile as he stood and motioned for her to join him. “Now, let’s get back to work.”

* * *

 

As soon as Donna stepped out of the cabin Josh hung up the phone and approached the Congressman with a questioning look once Donna was far enough away. “Sir?”

Matt put on a grave face before he spoke. “She volunteered to leave if she was a distraction.”

“Leave?” Josh asked with a gulp.

“Yes, she mentioned going back to the Wisconsin Field Office.”

“Wisconsin?”

Santos resisted the urge to grin. He took Josh’s inability to ask more than one word questions as a sign his plan was working. “Wisconsin,” He repeated with a nod. “I’d better go tell Lou. Excuse me.” The Congressman approached Lou and pulled her to the other side of the plane. Still in Josh’s eyeline but out of earshot. “Lou, pretend I’m telling you I’m firing Donna.”

“What?” Lou asked in surprise. “You’re not are you?”

“Of course not, but I want Josh to think I am.”

Lou smirked. “Are you being devious, sir?”

He turned his back to Josh for a moment and grinned at Lou. “Josh is being…stubborn about Donna.”

“You meant to say jackass, didn’t you? You can say it. I won’t tell on you. In fact, I agree whole heartedly,” Lou told him with a straight face.

“Lou,” Matt said sternly, though his smirk contradicted his tone.

“What? He’s a jackass, but I have begrudging affection for him. Very begrudging. I call him a jackass with total begrudging affection.”

“You’re using that word a lot.”

“It’s the only word that describes my attitude toward him, Congressman.” 

“Is he still watching?” Matt asked.

“And pacing.”

“Perfect. Follow me into my cabin.”

“Wow, you’re really committed to this little skit, aren’t you?”

“Just follow me,” he said with a chuckle.

“You’re the boss, Boss,” Lou said as she tossed a scowl at Josh for good measure and followed the Congressman into his cabin.

* * *

 

The door closed again and Josh took off the find Donna. He finally found her reading the public schedule for their South Carolina trip to the traveling press corp.

“And that’s it, guys. If there are any changes I’ll let you know.”

The press mumbled thank you’s as she turned and closed the curtain to the Press Cabin. She jumped when she turned and found Josh standing directly behind her.

“Sorry,” he said as he cleared his throat. “So, what did you and the Congressman talk about?”

“Can we skip the part where you pretend to be clueless?” Donna asked in a dry tone.

He huffed impatiently. “He said you volunteered to leave.”

“You’re the campaign manager, Josh, as you so frequently point out. If _you_ can’t work with _me_ then it’s obvious that I have to do the leaving,” she told him.

“But do you have to go to _Wisconsin_?”

“Where else am I going to go? My whole life it’s either been Wisconsin, a campaign train, or DC. There’s nothing in DC and I’m not welcome on the Campaign Trail. So that leaves Wisconsin.”

“There are literally 49 other states you could live in—“

“Plus, there’s the added advantage that it’s far away from you. Just like you want,” Donna said softly as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

“Just like _I_ want? You think _I_ want this? You’re the one that left without saying goodbye. _Twice_.”

“I said goodbye when I left Bartlet for Americ—“

“I’m not talking about Dr. Freeride, Donna. You moved back to Wisconsin and said nothing. Not even anything passive aggressive. Just… _nothing_.”

She looked at him in surprise. “You—you noticed?”

“Of course I noticed! I tired calling you. You didn’t answer so then I went by your place only to find some nervous woman from Treasury living there! After that I called CJ who kindly informed me you’d left DC without so much as a ‘thanks for the memories’ or a ‘so long sucker!’ Just…nothing. Silence. I noticed, Donna. I noticed.”

“You went by my place?” She asked curiously.

“And I tried to call you.”

“I was mad at you, Josh. If I’d answered I would’ve made it worse,” she told him. “Why did you go by my place?”

“It’s not your place anymore. There’s a woman from—“

She sighed. “She’s subletting, Joshua. It’s still technically my apartment.”

“Subletting?” He asked with a hopeful grin. “You’re not gone for good?”

“Focus, Lyman,” Donna said with a roll of her eyes. “Why did you go by my apartment?”

“I—I wanted to apologize.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “For what exactly?”

He sighed in resignation. “It occurred to me that I may not have handled your interview very well even though my logic was sound.”

“So, you’re not apologizing for not hiring me but for what exactly?”

“For throwing work you should be proud of in your face as if it were crimes against the State. I didn’t think about that fact that it might come off as—“

“Diminishing my accomplishments?” Donna interrupted with a glare.

“Right, that. That and…I really _do_ miss you, Donna. I miss us. You know, Josh and Donna against the world or at least Washington, DC,” he said as he threw a boyish grin at her.

She smiled sadly and set aside her cup of coffee. “I miss that too but—“

“No but. Stop with the but.”

“ _But_ I can’t do that anymore,” she said as she met his frantic gaze with an honest even one of her own. “I need a career that is all my own. Something I can achieve by myself. I’ve never had that and I’m in a position where I can have that now. Does that make sense? Please tell me you understand.”

He stared at her for a long quiet moment. Donna squirmed under his stare and found the silence unnerving. For once, she had no idea what he was thinking. Suddenly he lurched forward and grabbed her hand.

“Come with me,” he said as he pulled her away from the Press Cabin. She let him drag her away. It didn’t occur to her to ask where they were going. In fact, it didn’t occur to her to say anything at until they were approaching the Congressman’s cabin.

“Josh, I don’t think that we should—“

He banged on the door and charged through, pulling her behind him when it opened.

“Congressman, you can’t fire her or reassign her or whatever it is you were going to do. She belongs on the trail with us. She’s invaluable to Lou,” he said confidently as he released her hand. “ _Right_ , Lou?”

Lou rolled her eyes and shrugged. “Yeah, why the hell not? Donna Moss is invaluable to me,” she said as she turned to face the Congressman.

“Well, that’s it then,” Matt Santos said with a grin. “I guess she stays.”

Josh stared at him suspiciously. “You’re not gonna fight me on this?”

“No, I trust your judgement completely.”

There was a quiet beat in the room before Josh pointed an accusing finger at the Congressman. “You set me up!”

“Me? Josh, I am a Presidential nominee. I am above such stunts—“

“You absolutely set me up! You let me believe you fired her!”

“I told you she volunteered to go back to the field office, which she did. You’re the one who thought that meant I fired her,” Matt Santos said with a smirk. “I told the whole truth and nothin’ but the truth. Right, Donna?”

She grinned and nodded. “Right, Congressman.”

Josh scoffed and Matt smirked in response.

“Got you two to talk, didn’t it?” He asked.

Josh shook his head and unsuccessfully tried not to smile. “Yeah, I guess it did.”

“Then that’s all that matters. I trust we’ll all be able to work like professionals now?”

“When have we ever worked like professionals?” Josh asked with a smirk.

“I don’t know, sir,” Lou said with a small grin. “Should we expect more underhanded scheming in the future?”

“Well, I _am_ a politician,” Matt said with an easy smile.


	4. Some Things Never Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two conversations that happened off screen during two separate episodes that prove that no matter how much Josh and Donna grow individually some things will never change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> started my annual rewatch this weekend and because of it my need for Josh/Donna banter returned with a vengence and largely fueled this chapter. The first part of this is set during "The Wedding" and the second part is set during "Running Mates." Hope you enjoy!

 

“I’m bored, Joshua. I’m still attractive and I’m still bored,” Donna said as she found him at Ellie’s wedding reception.

“I’m sure there are plenty of gomers out there to entertain you,” Josh said with a sigh as he refolded the electoral map he’d been staring at all day long.

“I don’t want to be entertained by _those_ gomers. I want to be entertained by _this one_ ,” she said as he poked his arm gently.

He suddenly turned and glared playfully at her. “Did you just imply that I, Joshua Lyman, am a gomer?”

She tilted her head to the right as she thought and then smirked playfully at him. “Now why would I do that?”

He quirked a brow at her. “I think you were calling me a gomer.”

“Really? I guess you’d better prove me wrong then. Dance with me.”

“Donna, I can’t,” he said as he turned the folded map in his hands.

“Yes, you can,” she said as she placed a sympathetic hand on his arm.

“Illinois, Donna. I misread Illinois.”

“You didn’t misread it,” she told him. “We were down ten points. I bet even Leo would have pulled out.”

He looked up her in shock. “That’s what he said.”

“See? Listen to him. You make the absolute best decisions you can with the information you’ve got. That’s all anyone can ask of you. It’s all you can ask of yourself,” She said gently. “Now, put away the damn map and come dance with me.”

His grim look slowly melted into a small affectionate smile. “You know I’m not good at the dancing thing.”

“I don’t care if you’re good,” Donna said with a chuckle. “I just care that you’re willing.”

He hesitated.

“Josh, you can’t do anything else from here.”

“They’re talking about replacing me with Leo, Donna. Goodwin doesn’t think I can take this down the home stretch.”

She looked concerned for a split second before she shook her head and smiled softly at him. “Leo and The Congressman aren’t going to let that happen. You’re their guy. Without you none of us would be here right now.”

“But what if they’re right. What if I’m screwing this up and ruining his career in the process?”

“You’re not and they’re not right. Barry Goodwin can shove it for all I care. You’ve gotten us this far and you’ll get us back here in January,” she assured him. “Now, I’m going to ask you one final time…dance with me?”

She held out a hand for him to join her and he smiled warmly at her. He hesitated but folded up the map again and stuck it in his jacket pocket. “Just remember I warned you when there are pictures of us out there somewhere and we both look like idiots.”

She beamed at him as he placed his hand in hers and then led her onto the dance floor.

“You look great, by the way,” Josh said as he twirled her around in front of him.

“Thank you, so do you.”

“No, I don’t. I look like death. I _feel_ like death.”

“Yeah, you kind of do,” she said honestly.

“Gee, thanks. Have I mentioned how much your flattery means to me?” He asked dryly.

“If you’d sleep you’d look much better,” Donna offered with a small smile. “Was that better?” 

“It was a good try. Solid B minus.”

 

* * *

 

Of course The Congressman and Leo decided not to replace Josh. They knew better. Now the campaign was running at full speed once again. Donna stepped into the car with Bram to leave the Santos’s house. They’d spent the whole day working on press and campaign strategy and now she and Bram were headed back to the hotel. As the door closed and the car pulled away her cell phone rang. She glanced at the ID before she answered with a smile.

“Good job lowering expectations for Leo’s debate. Should play well for us tomorrow night,” she said immediately.

“That wasn’t us.”

“What? Are you saying we have a leak?”

“Seems like it. What are you doing right now?”

“You’re not concerned about the—“

“Trying not to think about it. What are you doing?”

“Bram and I are heading back to the hotel,” She answered skeptically. “Why?”

“You spend a lot of time with Bram.”

“I spend a lot of time with a lot of people, Josh.”

“I’m just saying you two seem to be together a lot,” Josh said in a suspicious tone. Was he…jealous?

Her brow furrowed and she wrinkled up her nose in disgust. “He’s _twelve_.”

“Twenty four, actually, but I understand your meaning.”

“Did you call for any particular reason?” Donna asked primly.

“Distraction, mostly. Hey, how’d you let Mrs. Santos’s red lacy thong and tattoo get passed you?”

“I was a little too focused on the Congressman. You know, my job?” She asked with a small grin.

“Oh right, that.”

“Yeah, that. Besides, I think it might actually work for us with the youth vote. They’ll seem sexy and hip.”

“You think Mrs. Santos is sexy?”

She could hear his smirk and she immediately rolled her eyes. “No. I think the general public thinks she’s sexy. I’m more of a tall, dark, and handsome man type.” She grinned and knew exactly where his train of thought would go.

“Like…Bram?”

“Huh, I never thought about that. I guess he is rather tall, dark, and handsome. Especially in a suit,” she said teasingly. Bram gave her an odd, slightly terrified, look and she waved a dismissive hand at him. “You know, I could use a night of alcohol and loose morals. Maybe I should go full cougar.”

There was silence on the other end of the line for a prolonged moment. Then Josh cleared his throat and spoke up in a voice that sounded strained. “I don’t think Bram is man enough for that.”

“This conversation is making me very uncomfortable,” Bram said as he blushed and slid over to the opposite side of the car from Donna.

“Are we freaking out the new kid yet?” Josh asked.

“Seems like it.”

“We still got it, baby!”

“…did you just call me baby?”

There was another long pause. “Um, no.”

“I’m fairly certain you did,” Donna said with a chuckle.

“Hey, did you know Annabeth can sing?”

“Yes,” she said calmly.

“I mean like really sing. She’s classically trained. Did you know that?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, okay, well…I’m gonna go. This was a nice little chat…”

“Josh, change the subject all you want but you know what you did and I know what you did. It will live in infamy.” With that she hung up and smiled to herself. It was nice to have Josh back. Things were different though. They’d both changed a little bit. It was different between them, yes, but they were better for it. At least she thought so.

“Your conversations with Josh are very strange,” Bram said observantly.

Then again maybe things weren’t _that_ different.

“I know,” Donna said with a grin. “It’s what we do.”


End file.
